1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a semiconductor based photonic structure for radiation emitting and/or amplification devices comprising various combinations of rare-earths, rare-earth oxides, nitrides, phosphides and Group IV semiconductors and combinations thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior art is found in U.S. 2010/032687 and other references cited below. Calder teaches a host matrix, preferably a dielectric, containing rare earth luminescent centers, e.g. rare earth doped alumina, including dielectrics of the general formula SiaAlbOcNd wherein the rare earth luminescent centers have a preferred doping level of 5% or less. U.S. Pat. No. 7,643,526, held by the same assignee as the instant invention and sharing a common inventor, discloses a structure comprising a micro-cavity, μ-cavity, and an erbium based active region; however there is no suggestion of a rare earth silicate based gain medium.
As used herein a rare earth, [RE1, RE2, . . . REn], is chosen from the lanthanide series of rare earths from the periodic table of elements {57La, 58Ce, 59Pr, 60Nd, 61Pm, 62Sm, 63Eu, 64Gd, 65Tb, 66Dy, 67Ho, 68Er, 69Tm, 70Yb and 71Lu} plus yttrium, 39Y, and scandium, 21Sc, are included as well for the invention disclosed. “REO” is used generically to refer to rare earth oxide, rare earth nitride, rare earth phosphide and mixtures thereof; “RE” may refer to one or more than one rare earth in combination. “Rare earth silicate” as used herein refers to stoichiometric rare earth silicate compositions as well as non-stoichiometric compounds as well as mixtures of rare earth oxides, phosphides and nitrides and silicates and stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric rare earth silicate compositions.